The present invention relates to technology for a book on-demand system which is arranged such that reading data or printing and bookbinding data is downloaded from the server via a network by using a terminal so that the data can be read on a user terminal side or output for printing and bookbinding on a printing and bookbinding terminal side.
As an example of electronic publishing, there is a demand for providing publications for users by downloading digital data related to books and the like from the server connected to the Internet and then printing out the data.
However, providers of digital data related to books and the like tend to suppress provisions of digital data related to books and the like for which copyright royalties can be expected because they worry that the digital data can be unrestrictedly duplicated. Digital data related to books and the like includes literature, treatise, dictionaries, magazines and other literary works and may also include photos and pictures. Further, photograph collections, books of paintings and atlas which are no-text publications are also included in digital data related to books and the like.
Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. H07-239828 discloses technology which makes it possible to provide only users authenticated by a copyright server with decryptable encryption from a document server and transfer the document to printing agents corresponding to users so that each agent can decrypt the encryption and print out the document. According to the description of the publication, this technology can protect electronic publishing from illicit copying.
Published Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. H06-103286 discloses technology in which, when a user inputs a command to transmit duplication of a book via a modem, the copyright royalty payment program intercepts the duplication command to put on hold the duplication action and displays copyright royalty payment information which is stored in a book's text or a file accompanying the book. According to the description of the publication, this technology makes it possible for the author and the publishing company to easily and reliably protect the literary work (book)'s copyright by providing a means for requesting copyright royalties when a reader tries to duplicate either a part of or the entire soft copy book.
Moreover, a conventional printing charge processing employs a system which records the number of successfully printed pages one by one and based on the accumulated count, a charge is applied.
On the other hand, upon sending reading data to users from the system side, the electronic publications system for reading applies a “contents price” which is for the contents of the book. Further, upon performing printing and bookbinding, the printing and bookbinding system applies the “contents price” together with a “container price” which is for processing printing and bookbinding. Furthermore, the electronic publications system for reading and the printing and bookbinding system have been separate, independent systems.
For this reason, a charge for printing and bookbinding after reading, which is applied when printing and bookbinding is performed after reading data has been transmitted and the contents price has been paid, is the same as a printing and bookbinding charge which is applied when printing and bookbinding is performed without receiving the reading data. In this case, no consideration is given to the possibility that there is an unfair aspect.